Maury Hills Church Elders Music and Worship

Jesus said that Maury Hills and Russ Adcox are NOT Christians but ANTI Christians because God's Spirit put His WORD (Regulative Principle) into the MOUTH of Jesus for the last time.  A Christian assembly is built upon the Apostles and Prophets which defines the PLACE OF REST AND EDUCATION both inclusively and exclusively.

As antithesis to the Babylonian Mother of Harlots (Revelation 17), The CREATOR God provided:
No DAY OF WORSHIP beyond the Holy Convocation as READING Scripture.
There is no example of anyone in Scripture said to worship by preaching, listening, singing, playing instruments, acting, or PAY FOR PLAY.

There is not a single Command, Example or Inference for SINGING with or without instruments for the assembly.

Both Synagogue or Ekklesia or SCHOOLS OF CHRIST and anything beyond READ or SPEAK that which is written for our learning is a CULT. There is no TITHING nor Law of Giving for STAFF who are not SENT as the way to PREACH the GOSPEL and not a word more or less.

Jesus said that those who SPEAK His WORD will be despised and hated: they will never get to put on a "worship" show was always the mark of effeminate acappella worship minister

Effeminate Worship Leader

Feminism, egalitarianism, and even complementarianism are all simply new versions of androgynism—a doctrine at the heart of pagan religions, which images their denial of the creator/creature distinction.

Worship.Androgyny.The.Pagan.Sexual.Ideal.html


Among pagans, words were not for information but for controlling the forces of the universe. If you had "charisma" which according to H.B. Parkes, possessed irrational, emotional or sexual abnormalities.

-Plato Laws 10 [885d] that before threatening us harshly, you should first try to convince and teach us, by producing adequate proofs, that gods exist, and that they are too good to be wheedled by gifts and turned aside from justice. For as it is, this and such as this is the account of them we hear from those who are reputed the best of poets -[poiētōn], orators[rhētorōn], seers -[manteōn]oida], priests [hiereōn], and thousands upon thousands of others; and consequently most of us,
        instead of seeking to avoid wrong-doing,
        do the wrong and then try to make it good.

-manti^s pl. mantides Suid.s.v. Sibulla:— diviner, seer, prophet,. of Apollo and Cassandra, Id.Ag.1275; of the Pythian priestess, II. a kind of grasshopper, the praying mantis, Mantis religiosa

-10.[909a] shall hold intercourse with them, save only those who take part in the nocturnal assembly, and they shall company with them to minister to their souls' salvation by admonition; and when the period of their incarceration has expired, if any of them seems to be reformed, he shall dwell with those who are reformed, but if not, and if he be convicted again on a like charge, he shall be punished by death. But as to all those who have become like ravening beasts, and who, besides holding that the gods are negligent

[909b or open to bribes, despise men, charming the souls of many of the living, and claiming that they charm the souls of the dead, and promising to persuade the gods by bewitching them, as it were, with sacrifices, prayers and incantations,1 and who try thus to wreck utterly not only individuals, but whole families [Oikia household] and States for the sake of money

The Greek PARASITE specificially identifies anyone selling themselves as part of a gods helpers.
ANATHEMA rests on anyone or thing DEDICATED to enhance the work of a god: they cannot be redeemed and must be burned

Rick.Atchley.Anathema.and.Musical.Worship.html

PROOF ONE: WHY RUSS ADCOX AND THE POST-BIBLICAL THEOLOGIANS CANNOT BE CHRISTIANS.

Jesus defined those who speak their own words as the Sons of the Devil:

John 7:18 He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory:
        but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him.

John 8:26 I have many things to say and to judge of you:
        but he that sent me is true;
        and I SPEAK to the world those things which I have HEARD of him.
John 8:27 They understood not that he spake to them of the Father.
John 8:28 Then said Jesus unto them,
        When ye have lifted up the Son of man,
        then shall ye know that I am he,
        and that I do nothing of myself;
                but as my Father hath taught me,
                I speak these things.
John 8:29 And he that sent me is with me:
        the Father hath not left me alone;
         for I DO always those things that PLEASE him.
John 8:30 As he spake these WORDS, many believed on him.
John 8:31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him,
        IF ye continue in my WORD, THEN are ye my disciples indeed;

DO is rank legalism whereas everyone is to be silent so that we might ALL come to a knowledge of THE TRUTH

John 8:38  I SPEAK that which I have seen with my Father:
         and ye DO that which ye have seen with your father.


Devil Do: poiētai 4. after Hom., of Poets, compose, write, p. dithurambon, epea, Hdt.1.23, 4.14; “p. theogoniēn 
Epos  joined with muthos,     1. song or lay accompanied by music, 8.91,17.519.
2. fiction (opp. logos, historic truth),  THE REGULATIVE PRINCIPLE

Hdt. 1.23 Periander, who disclosed the oracle's answer to Thrasybulus, was the son of Cypselus, and sovereign of Corinth. The Corinthians say (and the Lesbians agree) that the most marvellous thing [Lying Wonders] that happened to him in his life was the landing on Taenarus of Arion of Methymna, brought there by a dolphin. This Arion was a lyre-player second to none in that age; he was the first man whom we know to compose and name the dithyramb1 which he afterwards taught at Corinth.

1 The dithyramb was a kind of dance-music particularly associated with the cult of Dionysus.

Devil Do: LATIN:   făcĭo ,  to make in all senses, to do, perform, accomplish, prepare, produce, bring to pass, cause, effect, create, commit, perpetrate, form, fashion operor Lying Wonder,  poëma,to compose, id. Pis. 29, 70: “carmina,Juv. 7, 28: “versus,id. 7, 38: “sermonem,Cic. Fam. 9, 8, 1; cf. “litteram, id. Ac. 2, 2, 6: ludos, to celebrate, exhibit, admirationem alicujus rei alicui,to excite [the Laded Burden],

Devil Do: carmen
 I.a tune, song; poem, verse; an oracular response, a prophecy; a form of incantation (cf.: cano, cantus, and canto). note, sound, both vocal and instrumental “also versus, numeri, modi): carmen tuba ista peregit ( = sonus),Enn. Ann. 508 Vahl.: “carmine vocali clarus citharāque Philammon,Ov. M. 11, 317; cf. “vocum,id. ib. 12, 157: “per me (sc. Apollinem) concordant carmina nervis
barbaricum, id. M. 11, 163.—With allusion to playing on the cithara: The Moher o Harlots in John 17 Carminibus Circe socios mutavit Ulixi,
Devil Do:   Commercium sermonis,  7  In mercant. lang., to practise, exercise, follow any trade or profession:  8. In relig. lang., like the Gr. rhezein, to perform or celebrate a religious rite; to offer sacrifice, make an offering, to sacrifice:

Devil Do: Mousa   II. mousa, as Appellat., music, song, m. stugeraA.Eu.308 (anap.); “euphamosId.Supp.695 
Kanakhan .Clanging Brass
 Theias 
as many as made them hope by divinations, Madness caused by Ritual
       
worship as divine, Puthagoran  [Of the Cosmos, the Ecumenical, Kingdom of the Devil."
Antiluron mousas
S.Tr.643 (lyr.);  PLAYING THE LYRE
Aiakō moisan pherein
I. bear or carry a load,  A Laded Burden

Revelation 16:2 And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshipped his image.

2] et abiit primus et effudit fialam suam in terram et factum est vulnus saevum ac pessimum in homines qui habent caracterem bestiae et eos qui adoraverunt imaginem eius

THE MARK OF THE BEAST
kharag-ma kha^, atos, to, (kharassō)  3. metaph., mark, stamp, character,to tēs monados sēmantikon kh.T
sēman-tikos , ē, on,
A.significant, opp. “asēmos, onoma esti phōnē s. kata sunthēkēn aneu khronouArist.Int.16a19; “rhēma . . phōnē sunthetē s. meta khronouId.Po.1457a14; “logos . . esti phōnē s. kata sunthēkēnId.Int.16b26, cf. Stoic.2.48: c. gen., “s. hugieiasArist.Top.106b36; “s. pasēs kakiasD.S.3.4; s. orē mountains giving signs of the weather, Thphr.Sign.51; s. parōtidōn indicative of mumps, Gal.17(1).405; -ka significant symptoms, Hp.Praec.11. Adv. “-kōsArist.Top.106b37: c.gen., M.Ant.10.7: Sup. “-ōtataLongin.31.1.

sēmeion , to, Ion. sēmēion , Dor. sa_mēion
2.  sign from the gods, omen, S.OC94; “ta apo tōn theōn s. genomenaAntipho 5.81, cf. Pl.Phdr. 244c, Ap.40b, X.Cyr.1.6.1; wonder, portent, LXX Ex.4.8, al.; “s. kai terataPlb.3.112.8, Ev.Matt.24.24, Ev.Jo.4.48, cf. IPEl.c., D.S.17.114; “phobēthra kai s. ap' ouranouEv.Luc.21.11; esp. of the constellations, regarded as signs, “duetai sēmeiaE.Rh.529 (lyr.), cf. Ion 1157.
signal for battle, ta s. ērthē, katespasthē, Th.1.49,63, etc.; kathairein to s. to take it down, strike the flag, as a sign of dissolving an assembly, And.1.36; to tēs ekklēsias s. Ar.Th.278;
8. watchword, war-cry, Plb.5.69.8; “apo s. henos epistrephein tas nausTh.2.90, cf.X.HG6.2.28.
2.  n Prosody and Music, unit of time,
THE IMAGE OF THE BEAST:
Imāgo , ĭnis, f. cf. imitor, I.an imitation, copy of a thing, Juv. 7, 29: “hoc tibi sub nostra breve carmen imagine vivat,
I. Transf., a reverberation of sound, an echo (mostly poet.): “(mellaria facere oportet) potissimum ubi non resonent imagines,Varr. R. R. 3, 16, 12: “concava pulsu Saxa sonant, vocisque offensa resultat imago,Verg. G. 4, 50; cf. Sil. 14, 365: “alternae deceptus imagine vocis: Huc coëamus ait ... Coëamus retulit Echo,Ov. M. 3, 385: “c 

hoc tibi sub nostra breve carmen imagine vivat,Mart. 9, 1:

dulcis , I. Trop., agreeable, delightful, pleasant, charming, soft, flattering.
II. Trop., agreeable, delightful, pleasant, charming, soft, flattering.

THE BEAST COMING TO A CHURCH NEAR YOU.

bestĭa , ae, f. perh. akin to fera and to belua,
2 
As a term of reproach (cf. belua and our beast): mala tu es bestia,Plaut. Bacch. 1, 1, 21; id. Poen. 5, 5, 13.—And, humorously, of the odor of the armpits (cf. ala and caper), Cat. 69, 8.— mark of CAPPELLA

II  Transf., as a constellation, the wotf, Vitr. 9, 4 (7)
cănis
(cănes , Plaut. Men. 5, 1, 18; id. Trin. 1, 2, 133;
I. As a term of reproach, to denote,
a. A shameless, vile person, Plaut. Most. 1, 1, 40; Ter. Eun. 4, 7, 33 Donat. ad loc.; Hor. Epod. 6, 1; cf. id. S. 2, 2, 56; Petr. 74, 9; Suet. Vesp. 13. —
b. A fierce or enraged person, Plaut. Men. 5, 1, 14; 5, 1, 18; Hyg. Fab. 3; cf. Cic. Rosc. Am. 20, 57; Sen. Cons. Marc. 22, 5.—
b. Semidei canes, Anubis, Luc. 8, 832.—
D. A Cynic philosopher: “Diogenes cum choro canum suorum,
ekhidn-a , , (ekhis)
A.viper, Hdt.3.108, S.Tr.771, Pl.Smp.218a, etc.; prob. of a constrictor snake, Act.Ap.28.3: metaph., of a treacherous wife or friend, A.Ch.249, S.Ant.531; himatismenē e., of woman, Secund.Sent.8; gennēmata ekhidnōn brood of vipers, term of reproach, in Ev.Matt.3.7.
II. pr. n. of a monster, Hes.Th.297, S.Tr. 1099.
Paul said that worship was IN THE SPIRIT as a PLACE: this was giving attendance to the Word only and would PREVENT the Dogs or Catamites (elders as Wolves) from seeking whom he might DEVOUR (a double entendre)
THE BEAST IN GREEK
thērion , to (in form Dim. of thēr),  A. wild animal, esp. of such as are hunted, mala gar mega thērion ēen, of a stag, Od.10.171, 180 (never in Il.); in Trag. only in Satyric drama

sikinn-i^s si^, or siki_nis (E.Cyc.37), idos,
A. SikinninD.H.7.72:—Sicinnis, a dance of Satyrs used in the Satyric drama, S.Fr.772, E. l.c., D.H. l.c., Luc.Salt.22: named from its inventor Sicinnus, Ath.1.20e, cf. Scamon 1; or from Sicinnis, a nymph of Cybele, although originally danced in honour of Sabazios, Arr.Fr.106J.— Also written Sikinnon , to/, Suid.; Sikinna ,
Sa^bazios , ho, (Sabos) a Phrygian deity, whose mysteries resembled the teletai of Dionysus, Thphr.Char.27.8 (but Sabadion [acc.] ib.16.4, cf. Dessau Inscr.Lat.Sel.2189), Nymphis 11; hence afterwards taken as a name of Dionysus himself, Ar.V.9, Av.875, Lys.388; A.theō Sabaziō pagkoiranōCIG3791 (Bithynia), cf. IG12(5).27 (Sicinus); “Di Sabaziō

The Jew's Covenant with Death and Hell was called Sabazianism
Cybele or Kubebes: CII. Kubêbês. The ‘Great Mother’ goddess of the Phrygians worshipped at Pessinus, the mêtêr Dindumênê of i. 80. 1. For the Anatolian ‘Great Mother’ cf. App. I. 2, Frazer, G. B. iv, Bk. II, Attis, &c.; Ramsay, in Hastings' Bible Dictionary, extra vol., p. 120 f. The Atys myth which involved her cult is connected with Sardis by H.'s story of the son of Croesus (i. 34. 2 n.). The Great Mother was worshipped at Athens in the days of Sophocles (Phil. 391), and identified by the Greeks with Rhea, [EVE] mother of the gods (cf. iv. 76; Strabo 469), with Aphrodite, with Demeter, and with Artemis as the lady of the wild woods. But here she is regarded as a foreign goddess.
She is the facilitator or organon a musical instrument of Rhea (Eve, Zoe)
III. as a term of reproach, beast, creature, , cf. Eq.273; kolaki, deinō thēriōPl.Phdr.240b;
Deilos cowardly, vile, worthless, lowborn, mean
 “ mousikē aei ti kainon thērion tiktei” 

mousikê aei ti kainon thêrion tiktei
A.
 
Mousikos, musical, agônes m. kai gumnikoi  choroi te kai agônes ta mousika music,  

II. of persons, skilled in musickuknos [minstrel]  kai alla zôia; peri aulous - professional musicians, mousikos kai melôn poêtês, use with singing, skilled in speaking before a mob. Melody

B. aei always
C. kainos , esp. of new dramas, the representation of the new tragedies,  (Aphrodisias dedicated to Aphrodite (ZOE); comedy, sexual love, pleasure, a woman's form of oath, Aster or Venus or ZOE Lucifer
D. Therion
E. Tikto mostly of the mother  of Rhea one of the zoogonic or vivific principles

sunestiōmenon, of woman

Sunesti^-aō , A. help to entertain, AP4.3.24 (Agath.):—Pass., live or feast along with or together, Lys.Fr.53.2, Is.3.70, D.19.190, etc.; [theois] Plu.2.121f; “meta tinōnIG22.1214

Russ Adcox part two  Biblical Considerations

9-22-13, Maury Hills Church

Russ Adcox: If you’re joining us for the first time today or you just happened to miss last Sunday, I launched a new series on Music & Worship. It’s a series that deals specifically with why our leadership believes it’s time to start offering both a cappella and instrumental worship services at Maury Hills. I want to start by saying thank you for your response to last week’s message. I was very encouraged by the comments I received. Not all of them were in agreement but all of them were kind and gracious and sensitive to the way others felt about it. That’s no surprise. I wouldn’t have expected anything different from Maury Hills but I still appreciate it. The comments were all across the board from “Yes, let’s go. I can’t wait!” to “No, I’m not real comfortable with this right now” and everything in between. That’s also not a surprise. Maury Hills is a very diverse church so I was expected a diverse reaction.

Jenny and I are helping plant a new community group this Fall and the majority of the people are new to Maury Hills. We’re not actually doing the music study. We’re doing some material that Tim asks new small groups to go through, but last week someone in the group said, “Hey, before we start our study can ask a question about the message this morning?” I said “Sure.” “Well, I was just wondering, is this really a big deal?” I thought he was joking so I laughed. He said, “No, no, I’m being serious. I was raised Catholic and I’m really asking is this a big deal?” Someone else spoke up and said “I was wondering the same thing. I mean obviously it is if you’re spending three weeks on it, but is really that big of an issue?” You could see the same question on other faces but there were three 3 people nodding “Yes, this is a really, really big deal!” And I immediately knew who in the room grew up Church of Christ and who didn’t.

It was really eye-opening because the latter group was in the minority. Even though our sign says “a church of Christ” we have folks here from all sorts of different church backgrounds.

That's a false statement. The Pattern of folly was to Top Load with elders and members who agreed with him. From the beginning everyone knew the Russ Adcox agenda from his divisive split of a church of Christ in Hohenwald. Churches effective disfellowshipped Maury Hills. Russ made efforts to court the Christian Churches and set out the hooks for anyone ANTI Church of Christ: you can not be A Church of Christ and use "machines for doing hard work mostly in making war and creating the charismatic (Grace as erotic man-man favor) the Bible and recorded history defines as SORCERY or Witchcraft because it means "to make the lambs dumb before the slaughter."


Russ AdcoxSometimes we do something in our 101 class I illustrate it like this. I’ll ask you to participate with a simple show of hands. How many of you grew up with Church of Christ as your dominant church background? And how many of you grew up with some other background (Methodist, Pentecostal, Presbyterian, Baptist, all of the above or none of the above) as your background? That’s Maury Hills. We’re a diverse church and it’s easy to forget that. People start thinking everyone feels the same about this issue as me. They don’t. Some folks wonder how in the world we hold it all together. It’s simple. We major in the majors and don’t allow our opinions on lesser issues to divide us. In other words, we’re united in Christ despite any differences of opinion on worship style. We’ll talk a lot more about that next week.

That's wonderful: since Russ Adcox has assumed the role of Authoratative Teacher usurping the role of Jesus Christ, he does not know and God HIDES the fact that The Church of Christ (the Rock) in the wildernesss specificially outlawed "vocal or instrumental rejoicing including Russ' form of rhetoric.  Jesus called the Scribes and Pharisees, Hypocrites by in Ezekiel 33 naming self speakers (sons of the Devil says Jesus), singers and instrument players.

Russ AdcoxThis week I want to ask the second question in our series. Last Sunday we asked “Why?” Why do our leaders feel it’s time to start moving in this direction? I answered that from 1st Cor 9:19-23 and Acts 15:19. If you missed it I’d really encourage you to go back and pick it up on the website.
        Basically, we believe that offering both a cappella

  1.         and instrumental services will help us better reach our community.
  2. If you AFFIRM that God authorized anyone to IMPOSE instrumental noise in the Assembly of Christ.
  3. And God did not give one that superior authority and in fact God MARKED instruments as OF the World.
  4. Then the Spirit OF Christ in Jeremiah says that you despise God which is BLASPHEMY of the Holy Spirit OF Christ Who radically outlaws the always-pagan and always-gender bent use of instruments and calls the performers SORCERERS and promised that the instrumental sounds will be proof that God is driving His enemies into "hell" See Isaiah 30.

It will certainly sift out the Bible literate members of the Church of Christ who remember that of those who PRETEND to be ministers of Christ that the GO into all the world and preach the GOSPEL (of the kingdom of church). They are to baptize those who gladly receive the Word and then teach them what Jesus COMMANDED to be taught and observed.  Jesus was ordained to seek and save the LOST SPIRITS who are not OF the World or Kosmos as Jesus was NOT OF the World. 

A Christian is a Disciple of Christ: the power to save is in the WORD, Logos or Regulative Principle.  Humans can suck in butterflies but they are not the lost spirits as pilgrims and sojourners waiting for the SIGN as did the enuch at Philips preaching Jesus from Isaiah.

Discĭpŭlus , i, m. disco, and root of puer, pupilla; cf. Sanscr., putras, son; Gr. pōlos; Engl., foal,
I. a learner, scholar, pupil, disciple.
I. In gen., -Plaut. Bacch. 1, 2, 44 sq.; Cic. Div. 1, 3, 6; 1, 23, 46; id. N. D. 3, 7 et saep.—Trop. Prov.: “discipulus est prioris posterior dies,Pub. Syr. 120 (Rib).—In the fem.: discĭpŭla , ae, a female scholar or disciple: “ego te dedam discipulam cruci,Plaut. Aul. 1, 1, 20; Plin. 35, 11, 40, § 147; Hor. S. 1, 10, 91; Vulg. Act. 9, 36 al.—Cf. transf., of the nightingale, Plin. 10, 29, 43, § 83.—Of Latin eloquence: “Latina facundia similis Graecae ac prorsus ejus discipula videtur,Quint. 12, 10, 27.— —
II. A learner in an art or trade, an apprentice, Plaut. Aul. 3, 1, 4; id. Ps. 3, 2, 76; 96; Paul. Sent. 2, 8, 3.—
III. (Eccl. Lat.) A disciple of Christ, Vulg. Luc. 5, 30 et saep.

Russ Adcox: This week we drop back and ask the second question “Is Biblical? Is it OK to do this?” Let’s open our Bibles.

Russ is never going to OPEN the Bible: by education for a role which has not God-given dole, he is going to quote the snippet which says what he wants to say.

1Corinthians 9:16 For though I preach the gospel,
        I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!
1Corinthians 9:17 For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward:
         but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me.
1Corinthians 9:18 What is my reward then? Verily that, when I preach the gospel,
        I may make the gospel of Christ without charge,
         that I abuse not my power in the gospel.

Paul commanded Timothy the evangelist to WORK so that he could sponsor the agape or feeding workers before they went to a day job.  This verse TERMINATES preachers who refuse to GO and preach what Jesus commanded to be taught and observed.  Russ Adcox stands condemned. A SERVANT means that while the Jew was working Paul would go out and be his SERVANT.  Being masculine he would not be caught dead singing, clapping and picking a guitar to SERVE a Jew.

1Corinthians 9:19 For though I be free from all men,
        yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.
1Corinthians 9:20 And unto the Jews I became [servant] as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews;
        to them that are under the law, as under the law,
        that I might gain them that are under the law;
1Corinthians 9:21 To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God,
        but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law.
1Corinthians 9:22 To the weak became I as weak,
        that I might gain the weak:
        I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.
1Corinthians 9:23 And this I do for the gospel’s sake,
        that I might be partaker thereof with you.

False teachers were demanding that believers be circumcised and keep the law of Moses.  Moses did not include 'instrumental worship' but the Scribes and Pharisees are defined as hypocrites meaning preachers, singers and instrument players in Ezekiel 33

Acts 15:19 Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them,
        which from among the Gentiles are turned to God: [converted, baptised]
Acts 15:20 But that we write unto them,
        that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.

Men like Timothy and the Gentiles were "wise unto salvatio" because they attended the synagogue often to escape the perverted, musical rituals "making the lambs DUMB before the slaughter" to fleece them.

BECAUSE:
Acts 15:21 For Moses of old time hath in every city
        them that PREACH him, being READ in the synagogues every sabbath day.

Russ Adcox stand condemned by his proof text: Jesus said that God HIDES from the wise, sophists meaning rhetoricians, singers, players, actors or dancers demanded of the MUSIC concept.

First, I want you to go to the Old Testament. In 2nd Chronicles we read about the ark being brought in the temple and the dedication of the temple.

2nd Chr 5:12-13—12 All the Levites who were musicians—Asaph, Heman, Jeduthun and their sons and relatives—stood on the east side of the altar, dressed in fine linen and playing cymbals, harps and lyres. They were accompanied by 120 priests sounding trumpets. 13 The trumpeters and musicians joined in unison to give praise and thanks to the LORD. Accompanied by trumpets, cymbals and other instruments, the singers raised their voices in praise to the LORD and sang: “He is good; his love endures forever.” Then the temple of the LORD was filled with the cloud,

2nd Chr 7:6—6 The priests took their positions, as did the Levites with the LORD’s musical instruments, which King David had made for praising the LORD and which were used when he gave thanks, saying, “His love endures forever.” Opposite the Levites, the priests blew their trumpets, and all the Israelites were standing.



Now skip over the Psalms. These were the worship songs of Israel and over 25 of them contain either references to instruments or instructions which instruments should accompany the songs. For example, if you look at Psalm 4 it says “with stringed instruments” and Psalm 5 says “for flute accompaniment.” And here’s what a couple of the Psalms say…

Psalms 33:1-3—1 Sing joyfully to the LORD, you righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise him.2 Praise the LORD with the harp; make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre.3 Sing to him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy.

Pslams 92:1-3—1 It is good to praise the LORD and make music to your name, O Most High, 2 proclaiming your love in the morning and your faithfulness at night,3 to the music of the ten-stringed lyre and the melody of the harp.

Pslams 150:3-6—3 Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre,4 praise him with timbrel and dancing, praise him with the strings and pipe, 5 praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with resounding cymbals. 6 Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD.

I read all of that to show you that instrumental music was a part of worship in the time of Israel and it wasn’t just an aid to worship. It could also be worship itself. We can praise him not only with our voices but also with the music of instruments. The Old Testament shows us (especially the Psalms) that God not only allowed instrumental praise, he approved of it as well. The argument against that is “Well, he didn’t actually approve of it, he just tolerated it. God put up with it but he never approved of it.” Be careful with that assumption because its saying something the text never says. There’s never any hint in the Old Testament that God was not pleased with music that came from a sincere heart. The second argument against it is “Yeah, but that’s Old Testament. There were lots of things they did in Old Testament worship that don’t continue in the New Testament.” Fair point.

Let’s go to the New Testament. Here’s where we run into some issues. The New Testament doesn’t have much to say about instruments. Jesus never addressed the issue, the book of Acts (which contains the history of the early church) never addressed the issue, the letters to the churches do not address the issue. However, the New Testament is not completely silent because instruments are clearly mentioned on Revelation. Two examples…

Rev 5:8—8 And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of God’s people.

Rev 15:2-3—2 And I saw what looked like a sea of glass glowing with fire and, standing beside the sea, those who had been victorious over the beast and its image and over the number of its name. They held harps given them by God 3 and sang the song of God’s servant Moses and of the Lamb: “Great and marvelous are your deeds, Lord God Almighty. Just and true are your ways, King of the nations.

Again, God not only allowed the use of instrumental praise but he approved of it. The argument against this is “Well, that’s symbolic language. It’s not meant to be taken literally. Besides, Revelation isn’t addressing an worship assembly so it doesn’t apply.” The point is that God approved of instrumental praise in the Old Testament and he approves of it in the coming age so what makes us think that he now disapproves of it during the time in-between?

Of course, if you share the same heritage as me right now you’re thinking, “I’ll tell you what makes us think that. The Bible says it!


The New Testament letters do speak to the use of instrumental music. Did you forget about those verses?” No, I didn’t forget. The other night at community group there was another group meeting at the building and I was walking by them as they were doing this study.

They said “Hey what’s the verse that folks use to refute music?” I quoted them without hesitation—Eph 5:19, Col 3:16. Those are implanted right here. If they would have asked me the verses that teach the atonement of Christ I’d need a concordance, but I know right where those music verses are located. Let’s take a look at those.

I want to read both of them to you and I want to challenge you to set aside your background. I know this is really hard to do but try to hear them as a first time hearer.

Col 3:16—16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.

Eph 5:19-20—19 speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, 20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

What do those verses specifically teach us about instrumental music in the assembly? Nothing. They don’t even address the assembly. The context is Christian living. However, even if they are about the assembly they still tell us nothing in regards to instruments. They tell us to sing in our hearts to God. That’s it. They neither authorize nor condemn the use of instrumental music but both sides have used them to prop up their arguments.

The pro-instrument folks say that tell us to “sing psalms” and remember what we learned about the psalms? Many of them are to be accompanied by instruments so God is actually commanding instrumental praise here. That’s a bit of stretch. It’s saying something the text doesn’t say. It only commands us to sing in our hearts. The anti-instrument people say “That’s right and the only way you can do that is through a cappella praise alone.” Sing means sing only. That’s a bit of stretch as well. Again, you’re trying to say something that the text doesn’t say. Then there’s this whole argument over the Greek word “psallo” and whether it means to play an instrument or to sing with the voice and the Greek lexicon gives both definitions so both have some valid points. Of course, if you don’t share my heritage abut right now you’re thinking “Wow. I had no idea this issue was that involved.” Yep, and I’m just scratching the surface.

Here’s the bottom line. These verses say absolutely nothing about the use or non-use of instruments in worship. If you read them, in context without a particular interpretative grid, you would never reach the conclusion of “It’s clear right there that God doesn’t want music!” You wouldn’t reach that conclusion if you read the entire Bible. If I handed a Bible to someone who’d never read it and asked them to read it cover to cover then after they were done I asked them “what did you learn?” They wouldn’t say “Well, for one, I learned that God does not approve of instrumental worship.” That’s not the point of Scripture. They’d learn about Jesus, they’d learn about sin, they’d learn about grace but music is a non-issue in Scriptures. So how in the world did a non-issue because the main issue in our fellowship?

I believe it’s because we’ve done exactly the opposite of our old Restoration Movement motto. “We speak where the Bible speaks and are silent where the Bible is silent.”

Well, we’ve done a lot of arguing over things God never said. One brother comes up and says “You can’t show me anywhere in the Bible where God authorizes instrumental music.” The other brother says “You can’t show me anywhere in the Bible where God condemns music.”

And the argument goes round and round in a circle while both brothers are right! How do you interpret what someone never said? How should we understand the silence of God? Is it always permissive or always prohibitive? It’s neither. Those who say it’s always permissive run the risk of adding all sorts of crazy things to worship. We have to weigh these things against the whole of Scripture and have a little common sense. But those who say it’s always prohibitive can’t consistently apply that principle. They do all sorts of things in worship that aren’t specifically authorized in the New Testament. Again, we have to weigh that against the whole of Scripture and use a little common sense. It’s a decision left to individual congregations and their leadership.

They may choose a cappella praise only and that’s fine. But they shouldn’t impose it on others or insist that on it as a condition of salvation or fellowship. They may choose instrumental praise and that’s fine. But they shouldn’t impose it on others or insist on it as a condition of salvation or fellowship. Where the Bible is silent we are silent. How can we judge one another based on something God never said? And do we actually think God is going to judge us based on something he never said? That’s not the God I read about in the Bible. The absence or the presence of instruments doesn’t make any difference. It’s what happens in the heart. This is what it all comes down too. This is God’s main concern. He makes that abundantly clear in his Word. So I’ll end with this question. What if that’s all he hears? What if God doesn’t hear the instruments? He doesn’t even hear the voices? He just hears the heart. What does our worship look like then? I hope we don’t get so distracted by our opinions on music that we forgot this core principle.

 


11.21.13

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